Method of preparing tungsten and alloys thereof.



FREDERICK M. REGRET, .OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTBO METALLURGICAL .COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

METHOD 0]? PREPARING TUNGS'I'EN AND ALLOYS THEREOF.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that LFREDERIOK M. Bnoxn'r, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and 'State of New York, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Preparing Tungsten and Alloys Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the treatment of ferrotungsten which is high in phosphorus, or in phosphorus and carbon, for the purpose of producing therefrom a metal or alloy comparatively low both in phosphorus and carbon. v

According to the invention, ferrotungsten high in phosphorus or in hosphorus and carbon, hereinafter referred to simply as crude ferrotungsten, is first subjected to an oxidizing roast having for its purpose the oxidation of the metal-content and of the carbon, either wholly or .in large degree, whereby there is produced a mixture of oxids of iron and tungsten containing little or no carbon. This oxidizing roast may be performed under any. desired conditions, as for example in a rotary kiln at a red heat. In case of ferrotungsten high in tungsten, preliminary grinding to a fine state 0 division is unnecessary, since the roasted material is friabl'e'in character and usually falls apart during the roasting operation.

The roasted product, which may be, referred to simply. as the mixed oxids is then reduced to metal at a temperature be-' low the fusin point of the reduced product, and is therea ter preferably concentrated by processes servin to remove a p rt or all of the iron and p osphorus. -In thecase of ferrotungsten which is high in carbon but low in phosphorus, this concentration may be unnecessary, since an oxidizing roast serves to eliminate most or all of the carbon,

and the reduced product is adapted for direct utilization as an addition to steel and for other purposes in the arts. j

In carrying out the process. the mixed 'oxids obtained by roasting the crude or high-carbon ferrotungsten are preferably-reduced by a (gaseous reducing agent, as carbon monoxior hydrogen, or b a gaseous mixture containing these, such or example of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1912. Serial No. 728,499.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

as the gases from commercial furnaces for the manufacture of calcium carbid. The reduction is effected at temperatures below the melting-point of the reduced product, whereby the product is left in excellent con- .dition for further treatment by concentration methods. For example, iron and with it a material proportion of the phosphorus, may be removed by magnetic separation, by mechanical concentration processes, or by acid solution. The last-named method is particularly effective in that it involves no appreciable loss of. tungsten and may be carrled into effect in a variety of ways, for in stance by leaching or digestingthe reduced I known methods, and the processes described above afford a ready means for converting 'the high-carbon ferrotun sten into a product which is comparatively ow both in carbon and in phosphorus. -I believe myself the I first to establish the fact that it is possible,

by a commercial roasting o' ration, practically to eliminate. the car on from highcarbon ferrotungsten, convertin the crude ferrotungsten into a mixture 0 oxids susceptible of direct treatment for the production of relatively pure metallic products.

I.claim: 1. The method of preparin tungsten or its alloys, which conslsts 1n su jecting crude ferrotun sten to'an oxidizing roast, reducing the resufizing oxids without substantial fusion of the reduced product and concentrating the tungsten-content of said product. 2. The method of preparin tungsten or its alloys, which consists in su ,jecting crude r'errotungsten to an oxidizing roast, reducing the resulting oxids without substantial fusion of the reduced roduct, and removing phosphorus from said reduced product."

3. The method of preparing tungsten or 5 its alloys, which consists in subjecting crude ferrotungsten to an oxidizing roast, reducing the resulting oxids without substantial fusion of the reduced product, and removing ironand phosphorus from said reduced product by an acid-treatment.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK M. BECKET. Witnesses:

' T. L. SECORD,

D. BURGESS. 

